Old Dog
by thekatthatbarks
Summary: Naruto overhears a conversation between Kakashi and Gai. And the conclusion he comes to may just ruin Kakashi's night. Prompt from meliss-cake on Tumblr.


Kakashi took a swig of his whiskey to calm his nerves. Gai laughed next to him, slapping him on the back, "Kakashi! My rival, why do you look so worried?"

Kakashi swallowed, "Well, Gai, I wanted to ask you for some advice…"

Gai signaled to the bar tender for more drinks and he grinned at Kakashi, "Of course!"

"I must be out of my mind," Kakashi mumbled, rethinking asking _Gai_ of all people for _love_ advice.

The bar tender dropped off their drinks at their table and Gai urged Kakashi, "So?"

"Uh," Kakashi took another drink from his glass, "I don't really know how to start."

Gai laughed, "'Just say it!"

"I think I may have feelings for one of my former students," Kakashi finally admitted, glancing at Gai.

Gai's smile faltered, but quickly it was back in full force, his bushy eyebrows wiggled, "Kakashi, you old dog!"

Kakashi groaned, dropping his head to the table. But Gai just patted his back, "Ah, Kakashi, I'm joking with you! I think it's great you've found love!"

Kakashi peaked an eye out at him and raised an eyebrow, "You do?"

Gai nodded, taking a drink from his sake, "Of course!"

Kakashi raised his head and poured himself another glass. Gai bumped his arm with his own, "So, what kind of advice can I offer?"

Kakashi shrugged, "Well, how do you think I should go about it?"

"Tell her!" he yelled at him enthusiastically.

"Just tell her?" Kakashi asked him.

Gai nodded and Kakashi glanced away from his best friend, "Um…well, how do I…do that?"

Gai laughed once more and Kakashi looked back at him with a glare. Gai waved his hand dismissively, "Ah, Kakashi, I've just never seen you so shy before."

"I'm not _shy_ ," Kakashi argued, his eyes narrowing.

"You're blushing," Gai pointed a finger at Kakashi's face.

Kakashi rolled his eyes and denied it, "Whatever. You can't even see my face."

"Pink, my esteemed rival, right at the edges," Gai winked at him.

Kakashi levelled another glare at him, "Anyways."

"Right," Gai nodded, "Well, just tell her why you're in love with her."

"Why?" Kakashi repeated a little dumbly. _Why?_ He didn't even know if he could answer that. There didn't seem to be a straight answer to the question. There were a million reasons why.

Gai leaned back against the booth and looked up thinking, "Like tell her things you love about her. Try it on me."

"Try it on you?" Kakashi chuckled, "Good one, Gai."

"I'm serious!" Gai hit him lightly on the shoulder, "It'll make it easier!"

 _Oh, what the hell._ Kakashi shrugged and turned towards Gai, "Okay, I'm not going to talk to you like you're her, but I'll summarize everything."

Just then, Naruto stepped into the bar. A few of the civilians waved at him, recognizing him as the war hero. He smiled at them and then spotted Kakashi and Gai in the corner. He was supposed to be meeting Kiba and the guys, but he didn't see any of them yet. So, he thought he could go say hi to his old sensei.

He walked towards them and was about to say hello, when he heard Kakashi speaking, "Well, really smart, strong, and attractive. Immensely kind and loving. Uh…most beautiful eyes."

Naruto stopped in his tracks just a step away from the booth, wondering what they were talking about. Kakashi was on the outside of the booth and his back was to him. Naruto snickered and sat in the booth behind them, so he could hear them perfectly. He wondered who they were talking about. It wasn't like Kakashi to be talking about anyone like that. At least not to him, it made him curious.

Gai spoke then with a loud booming laugh, "Haha, you _are_ in love!"

 _In love?_ Naruto leaned closer to the wall, not wanting to miss anything.

"I wouldn't have come to you if I wasn't serious, Gai."

"Well, I'm happy for you, my dearest rival!"

"What about…the age gap?" Kakashi asked him and he almost sounded nervous to Naruto. _Age gap?_ Who was Kakashi in love with? Were they really old? Naruto's jaw dropped. _Was it Granny Tsunade?_

"Kakashi," Gai's voice turned more serious, "It doesn't matter. It may be a fourteen year gap, but love knows no age. You're already friends, aren't you?"

 _Fourteen years?_

Kakashi sighed, "This would've been so much easier if it wasn't my old student."

Naruto gasped and then covered his mouth before the two men could hear him. _Old student!?_ Naruto quickly left the booth, walking out of the bar before he could be seen. He stopped outside the doors, a million thoughts running through his head. He leaned against the wall.

Naruto mumbled to himself, "Old student…strong…kind… _beautiful eyes_."

Naruto's eyes went wide as he realized, " _Kami_."

Back inside the bar, Gai shook Kakashi's shoulder comfortingly, "It'll work out, Kakashi. Sakura's a wonderful woman and you deserve this. Don't talk yourself out of it."

Kakashi smiled back at him, "Thanks, Gai. I knew I could count on you."

Naruto stewed over it for a week, having no idea what to do about it. He tried to talk about it to Yamato seeing as he'd always been really good friends with Kakashi, but he had only laughed at him and had still been laughing when Naruto left. Bastard.

He finally decided to confront Kakashi about it. He thought Kakashi would take Gai's advice and say _something_ but it seemed like he wasn't going to. So, it was in Naruto's hands now. He had to do something about it. He stepped back into the same bar from that night and found Kakashi near the back like he had been last time. Except now he was sitting with Sakura.

Naruto walked over to them and they both looked up at him slightly surprised. Sakura had been laughing at something Kakashi had said and her giggles died down, "Oh, hello, Naruto."

Naruto smiled at her and looked to Kakashi who nodded at him with his crinkly eyed smile, "Naruto."

Naruto chuckled, feeling a little nervous now, "Hey, guys. Um, Kakashi, can I talk to you for a second?"

Kakashi looked at him oddly and glanced at Sakura, "Right now? Can't it wait, Naruto?"

Naruto shook his head determined, "No, Kakashi, we need to discuss this as soon as possible."

Kakashi sighed, "Naruto, I –"

"You'll be hurt less if I tell you now. Trust me," Naruto interrupted him.

"Hurt?" Sakura glanced between the two men confused, "Why would Kakashi get hurt?"

Naruto sighed, turning to Sakura, "Sakura-chan, I'd rather you not hear this."

"Naruto, what's going on?" Kakashi asked him, starting to look partly annoyed and worried at the same time.

"I'd rather tell you in private, Kakashi," Naruto told him, trying to give him a knowing look.

But Kakashi wasn't getting it and he sighed, "No, just tell me now. It's just Sakura. What can't you say in front of Sakura?"

"Uh..." Naruto glanced at Sakura and she crossed her arms over her chest.

Naruto ran his fingers through his hair and looked to Kakashi, "Okay, um, how do I say this…"

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at him, now looking completely annoyed, "Naruto."

"Kakashi, I can't accept your feelings," Naruto told him outright, holding up his hands, not knowing how Kakashi was going to react to being rejected.

Sakura snorted a laugh, "What?" at the same time Kakashi looked at Naruto incredulously, "What?"

Naruto took a deep breath, "Look, I'm kind of interested in someone else right now. I have been for a while and –"

Kakashi cut him off, waving his hands and standing up from the booth in front of Naruto, "Wait, wait, stop. Naruto, why in the hell do you think I have feelings for you?"

Naruto gestured at the table, "The other night I heard you and Gai talking –"

Kakashi's eyes widened, "Naruto, no, stop –"

"- and I heard about how you're in love with one of your old students. You said they were strong, and powerful, kind, _beautiful eyes_. It was obviously me!"

Kakashi grabbed Naruto's flask jacket with a panic in his voice, " _Naruto_ -"

Naruto grabbed his hands, "Kakashi-sesnei, it's okay. We can still be friends. Even though, you're in love with me –"

"Dumbass!" Kakashi interrupted, his voice almost a yell, "I was talking about _Sakura_!"

Naruto's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Kakashi had a similar expression even with his mask. Naruto's eyes left Kakashi's and looked behind him at the booth. But Kakashi refused to turn around even as his hands loosened and let go of Naruto. Everything felt deadly silent, the entire bar ceasing to make any kind of noise. He closed his eyes in complete denial. _This cannot be happening…_

He heard it when she stood up, the rustle of her clothing, the creaking of the booth. Then, he felt it when she put a hand on his shoulder, speaking in that sweet voice of hers, "Kakashi."

He let out a deep breath and opened his eyes. He made sure to set Naruto with a deadly glare before turning around, "Sakura, I was going to tell you. I–"

But before he could finish, he felt his mask being yanked down and soft plump lips being pressed against his. Arms were wrapped around his neck and he automatically held on to her. She tasted warm, like the sake she had been drinking and he could smell the strawberry scent of her shampoo. He could faintly hear people yelling, cheers and whistles, but the world felt silent to him. Just him and Sakura.

When she pulled away from him, he saw the most beautiful smile and set of green eyes to go with it. She kissed him one more time and whispered, "I love you, too."

Kakashi smiled back at her and she pulled up his mask for him. A part of him was panicked that an entire bar full of people had seen his face, but most of him could care less with Sakura looking up at him like that.

He could clearly hear the whistles now and Sakura blushed, pulling away from him. Kakashi looked around and people quickly turned back to their conversations. He heard a nervous laugh behind them and turned around to see Naruto scratching the back of his head.

He laughed, "Uh, I seem to have…uh, jumped to conclusions I guess."

Kakashi rose an eyebrow at him, "You know I'm going to kick your ass, right?"

Naruto glanced at Sakura and when she shrugged, he hastily left the bar with a nervous grin. Kakashi looked back down at Sakura and she told him, "You shouldn't be _too_ hard on him."

Kakashi nodded, "Oh, I won't. I actually won't kick his ass. And he'll just be waiting for it, a completely nervous wreck. It's better this way."

Sakura laughed, leaning against his chest, "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

Kakashi smiled down at her, "Me neither."

She returned it and leaned up enough to kiss his cheek. She teased him, "Promise you won't fall in love with Naruto and leave me?"

Kakashi rolled his eyes, "I promise that definitely won't happen."


End file.
